A Somewhat Different Mission

Hijacking - this very special and challenging scenario for an exercise was chosen by Munich Airport Authorities in 2007 - thus complying with civilian European aeronautical regulations requiring annual exercises concerning safety and security in civilian airports. The JERE 2007 (joint-emergency-response-exercise) focussing on hijacking a Boeing 737 plane with passengers and flight plus cabin crew being informed about purpose of the flight and having completed written commitment to share the flight was a real challenge for different emergency services, institutions, authorities and organizations. This short mission report shall reveal the importance of senior emergency medical physicians being involved in planning the exercise as well as in accompanying the flight ready to cope with real medical problems and a first defusing after the exercise. It turned out luckily that there has been no need for Medical Doctors to perform professional prehospital emergency medical procedures. Up to now, there is no evidence that any post-flight psychological supervision is necessary heading the passengers of the exercise as well as flight and / or cabin crew, too.